A morning routine. Not just it’s morning and I wake up, but a real meaningful routine that you can do every day. I feel like people get scared away from even trying this because when most people share their morning routine it’s like green juice, workout, coffee, a fancy super healthy breakfast, and emails all before 7 am. And while that’s great, and I’ll never knock someone down for doing better than me, it can feel a little intimidating.
I used to fall into the category of waking up when the kids wake up. And when they weren’t sleeping this was fine. I truly needed to get all the sleep I could get. But as they started sleeping a little better and I was still doing this I was noticing that I was feeling impatient and rushed throughout the day.
It happened once or twice where I woke up because of the baby around 430am and I just stayed up after getting him back down instead of going back to sleep. I had a hot cup of coffee, I read, I just had some quiet time for me. Then when they woke up, I was ready for them, not 4 steps behind them.
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Now, I am up at 4:00 every morning, and I cherish this time. My average morning generally looks a little like this:
4:00 AM alarm goes off and I am out of bed. No snooze.
I go downstairs and turn the coffee maker on. While it is heating up, I drink a glass of water. Then I make my coffee with lots of unsweetened dairy free creamer.
Side note – I’ve always got 2 creamers going in my fridge. One is unsweetened like Nut Pods, Calfia Better Half, or Natural Bliss plant based half and half. The other one is something sweet and fun like caramel or some seasonal flavor.
Note on what you should NOT be doing now – checking social media or emails or anything of the sort. Keep that phone away for at a minimum of 30 minutes after you get up, but ideally the first hour. Trust me on this. It will make a huge difference in your day.
I sit down at my desk with my coffee and pull out my Start Today journal. This journal was created by Rachel Hollis who I am a huge fan of. Every single day I write out 5 things I am grateful for, ten dreams that I have made happen ten years from now as if they have already happened, and my current goal for this quarter.
You can read more about the journal here, but basically, you envision the best version of yourself living the best life 10 years from now and write that down. Next you come up with 10 dreams that would make that happen. You write these things as if they have already happened. You write the same dreams every day to enforce them and keep them at the forefront of your mind.
I really want to touch on the gratitude part. Writing down every day 5 little things you are grateful for really makes so much of a difference in your life. Our attitudes are in our thoughts and it really is what you make it. If you are coming at it with a grateful point of view, guess what? You are going to be happier, appreciate more, and be more productive throughout your day because you aren’t wasting time with negativity.
Also – you can totally do this on regular paper if you can’t afford the journal! It’s the practice, not the journal that makes the difference!!
Pajamas //blue light blocking glasses
After the journal, I use this time to write blog posts, content planning, etc. I am most alert and creative first thing in the morning, so this is when I do my ‘work.’
Whatever you do, don’t use this time to check the little things off of your to do list. Don’t respond to emails. Don’t do laundry or sweep your floors. Do your most important work in this time first thing in the morning. I shared a little about this book , The One Thing, in this post, but it really is a difference maker in the way I think about and do things. Your One Thing has to come first.
For me, it’s writing and planning. For you it could mean meditation, working out, or working on a creative project you have. So many of us complain about not having time for self care – here is your time.
Sometimes, I get all of this done. Sometimes the baby decides 5:30 is a great time to wake up. The main things I try to accomplish are water, coffee, and journaling.
What’s your morning routine look like?
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